An Argentine soccer fan fell to his death off a grass sculpture during pregame festivities ahead of Argentina’s Copa America victory Sunday.
The victim, identified as Alan Frete, 30, can be on video standing atop the 21.3 feet tall and 43.5 feet wide structure that sits just yards away from the Obelisco, the iconic monument in Buenos Aires
Frete was waving the Argentina flag as onlookers milled around Plaza de la República while waiting for the start of Argentina’s match with Colombia.
Officials with the Buenos Aires Ministry of Security said that cops on the ground used a megaphone to convince him to climb down from the sign, which resembles the letter ‘A’.
Frete at one point started jumping on the structure and fell to the ground in front of his family.
One witness told Argentine news outlet La Nación that he saw Frete climb up the steel frame that features 6,300 plants from 23 different species and was installed by the city in 2016 to promote a clean environment.
‘I saw when the man fell. He climbed onto the letters, fell over the side and fell. He went up alone,’ the witness said. ‘They asked him to please get off, but with the excitement that he had. He fell to the ground and face first.
‘I can’t tell if he was drunk. I heard the screams of family and friends, the people who were around,’ the witness added. ‘A large group of fans were alarmed when they saw what had happened. They were shocked. It was something very strong.’
Online news portal Infobae reported that Frete resided in Claypole, a town in Buenos Aires province, and was recently employed as a construction worker before he was laid off in the middle of 2023.
Frete’s death came before a clash between riot police and fans around 4 am as they refused orders to abandon the area around the Obelisco and celebrated Argentina’s record 16th Copa America title.
Six people were arrested, and five men and one woman were injured, police said. At least 13 cops were treated for injuries.
The early morning disturbance paled in comparison to the chaos outside Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday night as fans were nearly crushed while trying to force their way through perimeter gates.
Fans in Argentina and Colombia jerseys were seen opening the metal gates and rushing into the stadium as security and Miami-Dade police struggled to control the situation.
A video on social media captured several fans wearing Colombian jerseys climbing into the air vents.